Decision trace, provenance case 01

A paper trail for
interface decisions.

Follow one system run from the choice that survived, through the exact rule and product constraint, to the rendered evidence a reviewer can inspect.

Four receipts. One claim.

  1. 01DecisionWhat survived
  2. 02RuleWhat governed it
  3. 03ConstraintWhat the product required
  4. 04EvidenceWhat cleared it

Three consequential decisions

Enough to audit the result. Not a transcript of every style property.

  1. Decision

    Complete state model

    The Orders screen includes default, loading, empty, and error states instead of treating the happy path as the whole product.
    Rule0cd0438dee

    ux-baseline-check

    Every screen ships with all states covered. No exceptions. This is the minimum bar.
    Source constraintloop-demo/README.md

    Product requirement

    Task: an ‘Orders’ admin screen with default/loading/empty/error states, gated at 390 / 768 / 1280px.
    Evidence Reviewed

    Rendered receipts

  2. Decision

    Mobile touch targets

    Interactive controls were enlarged until every measured mobile target cleared the 48px gate.
    Rulee2b379b311

    design-review / mobile

    Touch targets are at least 48×48px, with enough spacing to avoid mis-taps.
    Source constraintpresets/utilitarian-app.md

    Product requirement

    Touch targets and responsive behavior handled cleanly.
    Evidence Reviewed

    Rendered receipts

  3. Decision

    Restrained hierarchy

    The final screen uses spacing and typography for hierarchy instead of decorative color noise.
    Rule546806cbfb

    design-review

    Typography check: is hierarchy clear without leaning on color?
    Source constraintpresets/utilitarian-app.md

    Product requirement

    Hierarchy through spacing and type before color.
    Evidence Reviewed

    Rendered receipts

Why. Which rule.
What proves it.

A reviewer should answer all three in under two minutes, without asking the agent to reconstruct its reasoning.